nikhil.io

Michel de Montaigne:

Storming a breach, conducting an embassy, ruling a nation are glittering deeds. Rebuking, laughing, buying, selling, loving, hating and living together gently and justly with your household – and with yourself – not getting slack nor being false to yourself, is something more remarkable, more rare and more difficult. Whatever people may say, such secluded lives sustain in that way duties which are at least as hard and as tense as those of other lives.

Here’s a video that elaborates upon this sentiment.

And while you’re at it, don’t be a dick and try to communicate clearly and simply:

Difficulty is a coin which the learned conjure with so as not to reveal the vanity of their studies and which human stupidity is keen to accept in payment.

And always remember:

Kings and philosophers shit, and so do ladies.

I finally see where the title of this book comes from.